Tao Shi
Robert E. Apfel
Yale Univ., New Haven, CT 06520-8286
The phenomenon of sonoluminesence has been of considerable recent interest due to a better understanding of two types of mechanisms: asymmetrical collapse of transient bubbles and single gas bubble oscillation. Asymmetrical collapse of transient bubbles result in lower sonoluminescence temperature; asymmetrical shape modes may also disturb the periodic stability of single gas bubble oscillation. The boundary integral method has been used to study the asymmetrical motions of bubbles of initial diameters of 1--100 (mu)m. The role of initial bubble shape perturbation, dissolved gas saturation, surface tension, and maximum bubble size are observed up to a point where assumptions concerning the maximum bubble wall velocity and the internal bubble dynamics are expected to break down. It is observed that the initial shape perturbation grows when the bubble collapses and decays when it expands. Therefore, it appears that there are circumstances when cyclic single bubble oscillations can occur even with significant shape distortion. [Work supported by Jet Propulsion Lab through Contract No. 958722.]